BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS – October 2009 seems destined to be the best-ever October for the cruise ship industry in St. Kitts compared to the same month over the past 15 years.
Figures obtained from the St. Christopher Air and Sea Ports Authority indicated an estimated 28,155 cruise passengers are scheduled to visit St. Kitts from 10 cruise ship calls during this month.
With the official start of the 2009/2010 cruise ship Season, St. Kitts welcomed the first ship last Saturday October 3rd with the arrival of the 105,000 tonne Carnival Victory, which has been berthing at Port Zante every Saturday during the summer.
The 3,473-passenger capacity Carnival Victory makes its second visit for this month on Saturday October 10th. Also berthing will be the 1,975-passenger Oriana, which was originally scheduled to berth on Friday 9th October.
Other cruise ships scheduled this month are the 915-passenger Marco Polo on Monday 19th October; the Carnival Victory on Saturday, October 24th; the 1,950-passenger Sea Princess and the 2,450-passenger Millennium on Wednesday 28th October; the 3,500-passenger Caribbean Princess and the carnival Victory on October 31st.
Carnival Victory cruising towards the berth at Port Zante in St. Kitts.
October figures for the period 1995 to 2008 are as follows: 1995 (5,849 passengers from 15 calls); 1996 (1,941 passengers from 10 calls); 1997 (2,612 from 3 calls); 1998 (10,375 passengers from 7 calls); 1999 (4,530 passengers from 4 calls); 2000 (8,419 passengers); 2001 (17,052 passengers from 11 calls); 2002 (4,925 passengers from 5 calls); 2003 (6,029 passengers from 4 calls); 2004 (9,917 passengers from 5 calls); 2005 (4,417 passengers from 3 calls); 2006 (3,122 passengers from 3 calls); 2007 (10,805 passengers from 5 calls) and 2008 (9,248 passengers from 4 calls).
